Rotary engine.



' A. A, W'OLHNGTON.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 0:05. 1911.

1,277,018., v Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- ATTOR N EY,

A. A. WOLFINGTOIN.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED use. 5, 1912.

1 ,277,0 8 PatentedAug. 27, 1918.

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IVNVENTOR,

ATTORNEY.

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ARLIE A. WOLFINGTON, 0F QUIINTON, OKLAHOMA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed'December 5, 1917. Serial No. 205,595.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARLIE A. WOLFINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quinton, in the county of Pittsburg and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to rotary engines, and has for an object to provide a rotary engine embodying a principle which may be used in either steam, compressed air or internal combustion engines, and which may also be utilized in the construction of water pumps and air compressors.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character set forth embodying a casing of triangular formation, and a piston or rotor, mounted therein for rotary movement in a triangular path wherein the rotor is moved toward and away from the sides of the casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the nature above set forth, and embodying a rotor formed with a slot in which a sliding bearing block is mounted, and a shaft carrying disks and a pin which extends through the bearing block whereby the shaft may be rotated by movement of the piston in the manner above set forth if the machine is used as a prime mover, or for moving the piston in the manner stated by the application of power to the shaft when the machine is used as a pump or air compressor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the nature set forth and one means of operating the valve in unison with the movement of the piston.

In addition to the foregoing my invention comprehends improvements in the details of construction and arrangement ofparts to be hereinafter more fully described and particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the several views in which they appear Figure 1, is a view in side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2, is a view thereof in vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 8 is a view of the machine intransverse vertical section.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Fig.4, is a diagrammatic view illustrating one method of operating the valves, and

Fig. 5, is a view in transverse section taken through the rotor.

lVith reference to the drawings 10 indi cates the casing, and 11 the rotor inclosed therein. 2

The casing is triangular in configuration when viewed from the front or rear, and includes the sides 12, 13 and 1 1 which are curved outwardly on an are drawn from the opposite corner of the casing as a center. Each side may be formed separately in the way of a casting and connected together by means of lugs 15 formed upon the ends of the casting for engagement, bolts 16 being inserted through the lugs. Each side member is formed with an end portion which defines the end walls 17 of the casing. If the machine is to be used as an internal combustion engine, the walls of the casing as well as the end walls may be channeled as at 18 to permit the circulation of water therein for cooling purposes.

Each end wall 17 of the casing is formed with a relatively large opening 19, and each opening is closed by means of a cover plate 20 of which two are provided, one at each end of the engine. Each plate is formed with a center bored to enter the openings 19, and peripheral flanges 22 formed in bolt openings to receive machine screws 23 or stud bolts which also enter threaded apertures spaced around the edge of the openings 19 to secure the plates in place. Each plate 20 is furthermore formed with a cen tral opening to form bearings for shafts 24 of which a pair are provided for arrange ment in axial alinement. The adjacent ends of the shaft 2% are provided with disks 25, one for each shaft which disks are seated entirely within the openings 19 above referred to so as to dispose their adjacent faces flush with the surface of the end walls of the casing as shown in Fig. 3. The plates 25 are connected by means of a wrist pin 26 which enters at its ends openings provided eccentrically in both disks.

Located within the casing is a rotor or piston indicated at 27 which is in the nature of a plate, rectangular in configuration and somewhat elongated, and having the edges at opposite ends rounded as at 28. Opposite sides'of the plate are beveled toward the end so as to provide a relatively thick intermediate portion, and the plate is furthermore formed with a longitudinally extending slot 29 which extends from end to end of the piston and entirely therethrough from side to side. Mounted within the slot 29 for movement therein from one end of the piston to the other is a bearing block 30 which may besplit to facilitate assembling and which is formed with an aperture to receive the wrist pin 26.

I have illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4 one method of placing and operating the valves, the valve openings being indicated, the intake valves of the sides 12. 13 and 14 at 31, 32 and 33 respectively. The exhaust valves of the sides 12 13 and 1d are indicated at 3 1, and 36 respectively. The valves in each instance are located preferably closely adjacent the sides of the casing and may enter either the sides or the end walls as desired. Each valve is operated by means of a rod 37, and all the rods are directed inwardly and radially toward the center of the casing and provided with an antifriction roller 33. One of the shafts 2% is provided with a pair of cams indicated at 39 and &O to operate respectively the in take and exhaust valves, the cams being in a different plane and designed for actuating their respective valves only. For instance the valve 39 is designed to actuate the intake valves only and the cam 40 the exhaust valves only. To this end the inner ends of the valve stem 37 must be located in the respective planes of their actuating cams.

In operation, and assuming for the purposes of illustration that the machine is to be used as a prime mover for actuation un der steady pressure, if the rotor or piston 27 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, adjacent the sides 13 of the casing, the cam 39 will be in engagement with the stem of the intake valve 32 so as to hold the valve in open position whereby to admit pressure into the space defined by said wall 13 of the casing and the rotor. The piston will then be moved so that its lower end is carried from the juncture of the sides 13 and 1% toward the left, coming to rest at the juncture of the sides 12 and 14-. During this movement of the piston, the movement thereof is converted into rotary motion of the shaft 24: through the provision of the extension pin and disk 25, rotating said disk in a counterclockwise direction. During movement of the piston in the manner stated the cam 10 will be in engagement with the stem of the exhaust valve 3% to retain said valve in open position to permit the escape of pressure which is formed by the contraction of the capacity of the casing to the left of the piston. When the piston has reached the position last named, the cam 39 will have moved to a position to engage the valve stem of the intake valve 31 whereby to open the same, and the piston will be moved so as to move its upper end from its position at the juncture of the sides 12 and 13 of the casing downward to a position coming to rest at the juncture of the sides 13 and let, the piston rotating around the lower end as a center. The shaft will be rotated again in the same direction. and by a continuation of the movement of the piston or rotor in the manner stated the rotation of the shaft will be continuous and uniform. ilhe piston or rotor is thus moved toward and away from the sides in successive order. and the axis of the rotor will move in a triangular path.

Any other valve or valve operating mechanism may be substituted for that form disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it will be obvious that'the machine may be operated as well by the combustion of fuel directly in the casing instead of through actuation of a. continuous fluid pressure. It will also be obvious that by applying power to either shaft 2st the piston will be moved in the path described above, and by successively moving toward and away from the sides of the casing will create a vacuum therein, in the movement of the rotor in one direction and subsequently expel the material thus drawn into the casing so as to act as ,a pump or compressor.

lVhile I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice'various alterations thereover may be made, and I therefore, desire .to reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction, or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlative parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A rotary engine including a triangular casing. having itssides curved outwardly a plate to form a rotor mounted therein for rotary and reciprocable motion, and a rotary means mounted in the casing to guide the rotor for movement toward and away from each side of the casing in circumferential order. p v i 2. A rotary engine including a triangular casing. having its sides curved outwardly a rotor in the form of a plate movable therein, said rotor having a slot, a shaftjournaled in. the casing. and an eccentric pin carried by the shaft for movement in the slot of the rotor from one end thereof to the other to guide the rotor for movement toward and away from each side of the casing I successively and in circumferential order.

3. A rotary engine including a triangular casing, having its sides curved outwardly, a shaft journaled in the'casing, a disk on the shaft, an eccentric pin carried by the disk, and a rotor in the form of a plate mounted within the casing and having a longitudinally extending slot through which the pin extends whereby to guide the rotor for movement toward and away from each side of the casing, successively and in circumferential order.

4. A rotary engine including a triangular casing having its sides curved outwardly, a shaft journaled in each end of thecasing, a disk carried by the adjacent ends of each shaft, a pin eccentrica-lly mounted and connecting the disk, and a rotor in the form of a plate movable in the casing and having a longitudinally extending slot through which the pin projects, to guide the rotor for movement toward and aw ay from each side of the casing successively and in circumferential order.

A rotary engine including a triangular casing having its sides curved outwardly, a shaft journaled in each end of the casing, and in alinement, a disk carried by the inner end of each shaft, a pin mounted eccentrically relative to the shaft and connecting the disks, a plate to form a rotor movable in the casing and having opposite ends curved and opposite sides beveled toward the end of the plate, and a longitudinally extending slot formed therein, and a block mounted in the slot having an opening through which the pin extends to form a bearing whereby to guide the plate for movement toward and away from each side of the casing successively and in circumferential order.

6. A rotary engine including a triangular casing having its sides curved outwardly, an exhaust an intake valve passage extending through each side of the casing, a plurality of means grouped about the center of the casing for actuating individually the valves, a shaft, a pair of cams mounted on the shaft and extending in opposite direction, one cam for actuating the exhaust .v-alves and the other for actuating the intake valves, a

rotor in the form' of a plate mounted for movement in the caslng, and having a longitudinally extending slot, and a pin carried eccentrically by the shaft and extended through the slot to guide the plate for movement toward and away from each side of the casing in successivecircumferential order.

7. A mechanical movement including in its structure, a polygonal guiding member, a rotor, rotatably, pivotally and bodily movable within the guiding member toward and away from the side thereof, said pivotal movement taking place alternately upon opposite ends of the rotor, a rotatable guiding member mounted within the first mentioned guiding member, and means on said rotatable member coacting with the rotor to guide said rotor in its movement.

8. A rotary engine including a polygonal casing, a piston movable in the casing bodily toward and away from the sides thereof in circumferential order, and pivotally upon opposite ends of the rotor alternately, and rotary means for guiding the rotor in its movement.

9. A rotary engine including a polygonal casing, a piston mounted therein for rotative, pivotal and bodily movement toward and away from the sides of the casing in circumferential order and pivotally movable alternately upon opposite ends of the rotor, and means for converting such motion of the piston into uniform rotary motion.

10. A rotary engine including a triangular casing, a piston mounted therein for rotative, pivotal and bodily movement toward and away from the sides of the casing in circumferential order and alternately upon opposite ends of the rotor, and means for converting such motion of the piston into rotary motion.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARLIE A. \VOLFINGTON.

\Vitnesses FRED Kinny, F \V. BUTLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

